Slat-and-wire-fence machine.



Patentagl Feb. 20, I900." J. MIHLBACHLER. SLAT AND WIRE FENCE MACHENL (Application fi led Dec. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.)

/ irmmummm 'f 'II I Itl NrraD STATES PATENT rrro.

JOSEPH MIHLBACHLER, OF NEOGA, ILLINOIS.

SLAT-AND-WIRE-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,021, dated February 2 1900.

Application filed December 8, 1899. Serial No. 739,655. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, 'J'osEPH MIHLBACHLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Neoga, in the county of Cumberland and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in lVire-Fence Machines,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wire-fence machines of that type which are used in making fences of pickets and wires, the wires being twisted between the pickets, so as to maintain the latter in place.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and light fence-wire-twisting machine which will consist of but few parts; and the invention consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Heretofore fence-machines have been constructed which are adapted to be used after the same manner as my improvement; but such machines, as far as I am aware, have side frames in which are journaled or otherwise supported the hubs of twisting-heads, and" the construction of such supportingframes is comparatively expensive, as there is a great deal of fitting and parts required in the assembling and make-up of the ma-- chine. With my improvement many parts are dispensed with and the twister-heads are not held in positive engagement with the frame, but are maintained in place by the operating-chain by which they are rotated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a fence-machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, the cross-pieces which are opposite the twisting-heads being removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, and Fig. I is a detail perspective view, of one of the cross-pieces.

The frame of the machine is made up of two parallel bars A A, which are grooved longitudinally on their inner sides or adjacent faces, as shown at a. To the lower ends of the bars the base B is secured, which base comprises cross plates b, which are bolted to the bars A A, and between which plates there is journaled a guide-roller or sprocket-wheel c, and the connecting-bolts b may be used to maintain in place an angular plate or rest d, with which the lower ends of the pickets will contact when the machine is in use. At right angles to the plate I) the ends of the bars have attached thereto cross-pieces e, which support rollers e. To the upper ends of the bars A A are attached plates ff, between which is 'journaled a sprocket-wheel O. The shaft which supports said sprocket-wheel extends slightly beyond the plates and'is adapted to receive crank-handles for turning the sprocketwheel, and thereby'actuating the chain D. The plates f f are adj ustably connected to the bars A A, so that the slack of the sprocketchain may be taken up, and the diameters of the driving-sprocket O and the guide-roller or sprocket c are such that the chain will be guided so as to be partially within the recesses in the vertical side bars of the frame.

The twistingheads consist of disks G, which have teeth g for engagement with the chain D, and said twisting-heads have therethrough on opposite sides of their centers slits g, through which the fence-wires are threaded. The slits permit the wires to adjust themselves to the width or the thickness of the picket.

By the construction shown the bars are maintained parallel and are supported by the rollers e, and the disks or twister-heads G are maintained in position by the chain with which theteeth g engage, so that when the chain is driven the series of twister-heads will be turned in unison and maintained in place. In operation the chain engaging with one side of the disks has a tendency to force them downward, and on the other side the tendency is to force the disks upward, which results in keeping the disks at uniform distances apart and maintaining them in place without other auxiliary supporting means, and should the pressure he lateral or sidewise, owing to positioning the frame other than at right angles with the fence, the sprockets or teeth of the twister-heads will then en gage the recess in the side bars, so as to prevent the displacement of the heads from the chain.

In order to give greater rigidity to the frame, I may usecross-pieces H, which are attached to the bars A opposite the twister-heads, and these cross-pieces have inwardly-projecting blocks or portions 7L, between which are positioned the twister-heads, and the ends of the blocks may serve as guides for the sprocketehain D. These cr0ss-pieces have central openings which are of less diameter than the twisting-heads.

By means of the construction shown the wire-fence machine is light and easily operated, as there is a great deal of friction done away with, and is used in the same manner as fence-machines of analogous type.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wire-fence machine, the combination with a frame, guide and sprocket wheels journaled thereto, an endless chain which is passed over the guide and sprocket wheels, of twisting-heads which are positioned between the guide and sprocket wheels and are maintained in place and turned solely by engagement with the chain.

-2. In combination with the supportingframe and its endless chain, of a series of twister-heads each twister-head having teeth of sufficient length to extend through the links of the chain, the twister-heads being maintained in place and rotated by frictional contact of the teeth with the chain, cross-bars carried by the supporting-frame opposite the twisterheads, said cross bars having in wardly-projecting portions which extend toward the twister-heads and chain, substantially as shown.

3. In a wire-fence machine, the combination with the parallel bars and end crosspieces which carry guide and drive wheels, of an endless chain, a series of twister-heads having plain surfaces on opposite sides and peripheral teeth for engagement with the endless chain, said heads having on opposite sides of their center slits for the passage therethrough of the fence-wires, plates or crosspieces carried by the side bars, said plates having ii'lwardly-projecting portions which extend toward the twister-heads, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesscs.

JOSEPH MIIILBACIILER.

Witnesses:

ROZANDER S. HIGGINS, CHARLES C. EWING. 

